Business & Tech

Meijer Development Leaves Ticked-Off Neighbors

More than 200 people have signed a petition opposing "new monstrous development" and a recall drive is being considered against Alderman Steve Johnson, according to Waukesha resident spearheading the fight against Meijer.

Neighbors along Sunset Drive are fighting the proposed Meijer development to the point that one man is threatening a recall his alderman over the supermarket planned for Tenny Avenue and East Sunset Drive.

But the targeted alderman, Steve Johnson, is taking the side of the neighbors and plans to vote against the zoning change at this point.

“I certainly definitely, definitely understand why they are opposed to it, that goes without saying,” Johnson said. “I don’t think threatening a recall is going to make me do what they want me to do. The threats aren’t a way to accomplish anything.”

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Meijer, a food, clothing and home goods store, is planning to locate in a vacant parcel of land on East Sunset Drive, pending all government approvals. Construction is planed to begin in 2014 with the store opening scheduled in 2015, if everything moves forward according to the preliminary timeline.

 A public hearing about the development is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8 at City Hall, 201 Delafield St. The developers are seeking approval to modify the land use on the 31-acre parcel from medium and medium-high residential to commercial and isolated natural resource area, as well as changing the zoning from temporary to community business planned unit development.

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But Ken Heine, who is circulating petitions with his wife, Kay, in an attempt to stop the development, said the neighborhood is upset because they only received a few days notice that the development’s rezoning was first going before the Waukesha Plan Commission in May. More than 200 people have signed a petition trying to block the Meijer store, he said.

"I don’t understand the logic of putting another big box store in that area," Heine said. "At one time our city was the city of trees. I believe right now, if this goes through, we could call it Big Box Stores and Parking Lot City USA instead of Tree City USA."

Heine is unhappy with the response he has gotten from Johnson, adding there is talk in the neighborhood about recalling Johnson. However, Johnson said he supports the neighbors and has been spending time talking to people in the 10th District about the development.

“There has been a lot of talk of a recall for our alderman because he does not represent our wishes,” Heine said. “If he is not going to represent us, maybe we can get someone that could represent us.”

Heine has a long list of reasons he opposes Meijer, including:

  • Traffic
  • Potential widening of Sunset Drive
  • Noise and light pollution
  • Low income jobs
  • Decreased property values
  • Safety of children at four area schools: Wittier Elementary, Heyer Elementary, Waukesha South and Beautiful Savior Lutheran
  • Ecological concerns relative to water runoff
  • Density of grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies along Sunset Drive

“Obviously it is taking away a green space, which seems to be a totally random development of our city,” Heine said. “I thought we were trying to develop the downtown, and all we did is create new monstrous development on the outside of the city.”

See related:

·       Sussex Meijer plans in the works, but with controversy

·       Oak Creek Meijer project would anchor development


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